Tag: reading

Tali’s natal day, clockwork edition

What went before: Well. My watch is updating. I am not accustomed to the watch being my main point of information, so that will be a change. Also, some things that are I guess supposed to be intuitive — aren’t. Like, yanno, putting on the band. I did finally figure it out, but Jeez Louise as somebody once said.

I did get my reading of the WIP done, despite It All. It’s not Terrible, there are some things that are in the wrong place, but since I’m trying to match at least three separate timelines so that everybody can arrive at their meeting at the right times, that’s probably, oh, normal instead of evidence of a Descent into Dementia.

Yanno? When I was twenty, I never worried about a Descent into Dementia. Just sayin’.

I should probably go find some cheese to put on a piece of bread, brew a cup of chamomile tea, and take it and my book with me to bed, hoping for a better day tomorrow, which is!

Tali’s third birthday.

Sunday. Cloudy. Well. I suppose I can concede to the Weatherbeans in this. Foggy. I am led to believe that it will be foggy all day, which I suppose is possible, at the rate that the snow is sublimating. The Long Back Yard is more grass than snow. I was just watching a crow sorting through dead leaves and old grass and fly off with a beakful into the Really Tall Pine Tree, so I’ll guess I’ll have new neighbors.

Breakfast was biscuit with sausage and a slice of cheddar with black grapes. Second cup of tea to hand. Lunch will be — yeah, whatever. Maybe a scone.

As planned, I just put myself and my book into bed at 9, and read while I drank my tea. Firefly and Rook joined me in the bed. Tali took the overlook position at the top of the bookcase. The new watch says I had a “highly restorative” sleep of 7 hours and 40 minutes, with lots of Deep and REM, which have been in short supply lately, and probably why I’ve been feeling so tired.

I must say that I’m enjoying Mr. Harney’s Egyptian Chamomile tea. I’m alternating with the Republic of Tea Chamomile Lemon that a friend sent me, which I’m also enjoying. I’m trying to simplify my life, but I really do think that I’ll order in replacements of both.

I am not dizzy this morning, and I’m counting that a win. I am feeling rather meh (Note to Weatherbeans: Some sunshine would help over here), so, as advised by my new notepad, I made a list, and I do feel (a little) better. On the list is a blankie run, changing out the cat fountains, buying cpap supplies, homework, and writing.

Writing may only be working with the correx/additions I identified yesterday, but that still counts. And! one of the benefits of reading your WIP over (and over and over and…) is that engaging with the story produces more story (i.e. You know what’s missing here? Or, happier: You know what comes next?) I don’t know how writers who just start and flame through to the end of the first draft without ever stopping to read what they’ve already written do it, honestly.

As mentioned previously, today is Tali’s third birthday. She has been celebrating energetically, chasing spring, ball and her kid brother all over the house, so much in motion that I am not at this time able to offer a picture of the Birthday Cat. She did come by and check in with Trooper. He muttered at her, she cleaned his ears, then bolted off to discipline Rook.

The new watch is … interesting. It has a lot more functionality than the FitBit, and is much bigger — despite which, it’s lighter and more comfortable on my wrist. The FitBit and I had never had a warm relationship, even before Google decided to try to force me to buy a Google watch by driving the FitBit insane. By comparison, the Garmin (bear with me, people; we all have to work with the brain we have) is calm and friendly. I’m not used to having so much information on the watch but even so it’s easy to navigate, and I can of course add and subtract the information I want to see. I think I did the right thing.

I’m about halfway through Tomb of the Dragons, and having a good time with it. I had to stop and explain to Firefly that these were not Liaden dragons, because they lived in another book. It’s a hard concept, but I think she got it. At least, she blinked her eyes and went back to sleep.

And that’s it from the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.

So! Who has sunshine where they are?

Interesting Times

What went before:  Northern Light Hospital (a non-profit hospital), which is less than a mile from my house, and one of the several reasons we were so very pleased to find this house when we did, is closing on June 11.  My PCP, cardiologist, womens health, and other specialists are of course all attached to that hospital.  News story here.

Friday. Cold and cloudy-ish when I got up. The sun’s making some inroads now. The weatherbeans are putting their chips on 50F/10C.

First Breakfast was a cup of cottage cheese. Coffee and a scone for early Second Breakfast. If I do this right, I might be able to squeeze in Third Breakfast — and there’s lunch solved.

Trooper is back from the vet. We have mixed news. He was to have had his rabies vaccine and general wellness check today. Despite the fact that I see him eating, and his interest in All the Goodies at Coon Cat Happy Hour, he’s lost weight since I took him in for his anxiety, last month.

Here at home, I haven’t been able to alleviate (or identify a cause for) his ongoing anxiety. (I don’t think he’s reading the news, though I guess Firefly could be keeping him up to date.) His blood work from the previous visit was “normal” (Vet: “Because of course it is.”) His vet pronounces him “frail.” Because he’s a cat, and even more stoic than most cats, we can’t tell if he’s in pain. If he is, it’s generalized and not specific. All that considered, and being unwilling to put him under the systemic stress, the vet did not give him his rabies shot. She did give him a shot of Solensia, which is a pain reliever used for things like arthritis. I’m to watch him, of course, and report back next week.

So, that. Good thoughts for Trooper, if you have them to spare.

Now that I’m home, I intend to stay home for a couple days and spend some Quality Time with my manuscript. It’s possible I can sneak in a drive to the ocean on Sunday or Tuesday.

ASL class was fun and interesting. We are a motivated group, good-natured and easy-going. I have homework, including working out how to spell my parents’ names, which at least this time my security clearance is sufficient to allow access to that information. (In first grade, when Sister asked me what my father’s name was, I said, “Al.” There was a pause before she asked what my mother’s name was, and I said, perfectly confident, “Hon.” And that’s how I wound up standing in the front of the classroom with my hair stapled to the bulletin board.) Also, counting 1-20, and vocabulary words.

I may register for the second session, which starts immediately after this one ends, though I’ll have to miss the last class by reason of traveling to BaltiCon.

. . .and the sun is now sufficiently high in the sky that the frost on the deck has melted and is starting to evaporate.

I finished reading the 8th Lord Julian novel last night, which I think catches me up there, and started reading The Tomb of Dragons.

What are you reading?

Second Breakfast Cat Census:

Now it’s Monday morning

What went before: I may have straightened out the timeline. Maybe.

In other news, I wrote about 1,000 words, recasting a scene impacted by the timeline kinks.

The cats are *not* demanding Happy Hour, and I’m wondering if I just out to let it run out to new-8:00. Hmm.

Also — I re-re-re-&c-read The Thirteen Clocks, which is every bit as silly and beautiful as I remembered.

Monday. Snowing.  Of course, it’s snowing.

Breakfast is oatmeal with cranberries and walnuts, with tea. Lunch will have to take care of itself.

COVID shot at 10:30, followed by foraging, since I’ll be in the grocery store, followed by We’ll See How It Goes.

Nothing really more to report.

What’re you doing today?

Cat pictures in lieu of content:

Back on the rocking horse

What Went Before: Tali’s fan club will be pleased to know that she is pronounced “a looker” by her vet, a little lean, but in perfect health. She has received her chip, gotten a pedicure, and had her ears cleaned.

Short story: Tali is still not certain that I have clearance to pick her up all the time, so I was feeling pretty good about having not only picked her up, but carrying her to the box with the bare minimum of wiggling, and into the box itself with only one curse word (from Tali). I latched the gate, and went to start the car.

By the time I got back, Rook had managed to unseat one side of the latch — which wasn’t enough to let her force the gate down, but I’d just like to say, Thank God that kid isn’t polydactyl. And also? He’s gonna be running this town by the time he’s five.

Tali is now home, and sleeping the sleep of the Justly Exhausted under the dining room table.

I am having a cookie, which may become two cookies (spoiler: it did become two cookies), and a cup of tea.

Thursday. Rainy and warm. Foggy as the snow sublimates.

Ashley’s due in an hour or so, and tonight is ASL class.

Breakfast was toasted English muffin with cream cheese and grapes. Lunch will be, um. Chicken. I baked chicken breasts yesterday, but opted for the last of the drunken noodles for my actual lunch. I’m pretty sure you can’t live on drunken noodles, but apparently I’m willing to try.

I straightened up my desk again yesterday afternoon. At least I have the answer to the question, “Why is there so much crap on this desk?” Because, in part, I’m writing a book, so paper accretion is A Thing, but also because I have two insurance cases open.

I did finally retire to the blanket fort, after downloading All Systems Red from Audible. I put on my headphones and closed my eyes. That appears to have been a Good Call.

Tali is swinging back and forth between, “Monster! You put me in the evil box and put the evil box in the car and TOOK ME AWAY.” and, “You brought me home from the evil place where all the ladies cooed over me and told me how beautiful I am. MY HERO!” I suppose she’ll get it sorted in a day or two.

A week ago, I ordered something from Across the Pond, and the Royal Mail has been my best friend ever since. They notified me when my packet was received into their system, when it had boarded the plane, when it landed (though not what it had had for tea), when it entered the tender care of the US postal service, and, this morning, that the packet had been welcomed at my local post office and was on a truck for delivery. If I had expected anything, I would have expected a cessation of correspondence from the Royal Mail once the package entered the care of the USPS, but no–apparently they’re going to see it through to the moment I sign the release. I’ll actually miss their letters.

I shifted all my notes and whatnot back to Steve’s office so Ashley can have a clear field when she arrives.

And that’s my news.

What’s yours?

Yesterday, the younger Directors decided to play Tic-Tac-Toe

I have only come here seeking knowledge

What Went Before:  Well! That was a productive running of errands. The only thing I didn’t get done was getting the car washed, because the entire city had that same idea.

I have One! Gotten my ears (re)pierced, a chain shortened and fitted out with magnets.

Two! Stopped at Holy Cannoli. Because I am Weak. Bought a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie bigger than my head (so I can have a cookie to eat while I’m baking cookies), and also a ginormous chunk of spinach lasagna, which is at least two meals and maybe three.

Three! Bought too much stuff at the grocery store, including Maine Root root beer, because if you’re going to buy things you don’t really need, buy the Good Stuff. I noted with dismay the lack of eggs and the thinness of milk. Saw two people I haven’t seen for more than a year. One was Steve’s former boss at the library, who introduced me to her grandkids, one of whom is taller than I am. The other was the guy who had owned our neighborhood liquor store when we lived in Waterville, and I did tear up talking to him — sorry, Joe, but no, I’m not really getting “accustomed.”

Four! Checked the post office box. No mail.

Five! Got home in time to greet the FedEx truck, which offloaded two packages, neither one of them my keyboard.

The oven is now heating so that it will be worthy to receive lasagna. I’ve already scheduled a haircut, and Trooper’s annual wellness check with the vet.

Tali is not sure I live here, even after the other three cats came to give me welcome-home bumps.

Sometime later:  500ish words written on my lovely repaired keyboard, which brings the total WIP in its various pieces to +/-10,600 words.

Trooper is insisting that Happy Hour is late, but he is not yet correct.

I made a batch of cookies, so the Rolanni Red Alert is no longer in force.

Tali is willing to have me live here if I’ll feed her. Of course, she says that now.

Oh! There were three cats in the picture; Trooper was in the copilot’s seat in my office.

Tuesday. Grey but warm. Trash and recycling at the curb.

Woke up at 6, attended to necessary business and went back to bed for another hour and a half. Apparently, I had too much excitement yesterday. I’m still a little fuzzy, so I’m thinking today is going to be the comfy chair in my office, a pad of paper and a pen. Jen Sin still hasn’t opened his mail. That! Man!

Breakfast was large and late: last of the leftover potatoes fried with onion and leftover sausage. Lunch will be (no really) the slice of store-bought quiche that was deferred yesterday in favor of lasagna. We Have A Theme.

Finished reading The Sign of the Dragon by Mary Soon Lee last night.  I see that Destiny’s Way from Jack Campbell downloaded this morning, which — you can’t get any more perfect timing than that.

Tali is starting to demand my lap, and is willing to fight Rook for the right. This is a little problematic, being as the household is down a lap, and everyone has lap rights. She is willing to share, which is interesting, and may be workable, if Rook can be made to see the advantages.

Today’s to-do, as above — mostly a writing day, with sides of one’s duty to the cats and remembering to eat lunch.

What’s on your to-do list?

Today’s title brought to you by The Police, “Wrapped Around Your Finger”

Below two pictures:  Rook’s selfie, and a picture taken to demonstrate to Alma Alexander that, yes, the cats do use the ring-bed on the floor.  When they want to.

. . . and wine for the woman who made the rain come

What Went Before: 901 new words today, and some rewriting of old words. Active voice, Sharon. Really; it make All the Difference. The total WIP now weighs in at +/-9,300 words, which is … OK.

Saturday. Sunny and already busy.

I Shout! Out! to the kind person who sent me a Penzey’s gift card. I had just been missing a couple things, and debating whether Penzey’s was a necessity or a luxury. Thank you, Mystery Gift Giver. Much appreciated.

I did sleep in a little — let’s hear it for 7:30! — and had a leisurely breakfast of blueberry muffin and brie. Second cup of tea is to hand, and I’m pretty sure there will be a third cup in my future. Lunch will be salad, because the tomato got ahead of me again.

I have a few chores to do, and some paperwork to straighten up. Honestly, where does All! The! Paper! come from? Mostly, though, I’ll be writing.

The sunroom office is full of — sun! And cats are napping everywhere.

I finished reading A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor, and am now giving all of my attention to The Sign of the Dragon.

What’re you reading today?

Today’s title brought to you by Cat Stevens, “Tea for the Tillerman,” because, yeah, I loved that album, back in the day.  Sold it when we sold all our vinyl to make the rent or some such silliness.  Still.  Great album.

They don’t give a damn about any trumpet playing band

What went before:  Hired somebody to maintain korval.com, which is an enormous load off my shoulders.

Waiting in my email this morning was a note from NESFA (New England Science Fiction Association); Tony Lewis has left us.  Tony and Suford let Steve and me park our car at their house for a week and took us to the train station so we could attend our first convention as Guests of Honor, Silicon, in 1998. Chatting with him and Suford was always a high point at Boskone.

Thursday. Frizzling (freezing drizzle, looks like). Once again the Big Storm wore itself out before it got to us.

Breakfast was PB&J on English muffin. Second cup of tea is brewing. Lunch will be — eh. No, wait. I got spaghetti and meatballs out of the freezer last night. Ta-da! Lunch.

So, I was flattened by the time I’d finished eating the evening meal, so I just took my book and a mug of tea and went to bed, where I was immediately joined by four cats, who immediately went to sleep. I read for a while, then shoved the propping pillow to one side, and joined them. So that was good. Next lesson: I’m going to have to stop thinking that 6:00 is early if I go to sleep at 10.

First up today is sitting by the window, watching the … frizzle frizz … and sketching in some scenes (y’all know that when I say things like “doodling” and “sketching” it means making notes and hand-drafting scenes, not actually doing art? Just wanted to clear that up.) This may actually be the only thing, aside one’s duty to the cats, and feeding myself lunch, that actually gets accomplished today, and if so, sobeit.

So, that’s it for me. Over to you.

Below the requested photos of the classy new cat bowls, provided by a Mystery Friend.

Today’s blog post title comes to you from Dire Straits, “The Sultans of Swing.”  Historical note:  I was on my way to Steve’s house, and this song “previewed” on the radio, so that almost the first thing I said to Steve after he let me in was, “I just heard this incredible song!  Sultans of –”  And Steve turned to his record player, picked up an album cover (Steve having been a music reviewer, he got free albums) and handed it to me.  “I was just listening to it, when you knocked.”  I happened to hear it on the radio this morning during breakfast.

Alarums and Excursions

What went before:  The WIP has broken its first milestone of 1,000 words, and in fact weighed in at 1,300 words at close of bidness.

Also, I solicited information on how to get a cracked phone screen repaired. (I dropped my phone on Sunday, and broke the screen — a personal first, though I’d hate to tell you how many times I’ve dropped my phone over the years.)

Onward.

Saturday. Chilly and bright. Were here in Central Maine are rejoicing in a Severe Weather Alert. The ‘beans apparently found an unopened bag of Winter in the back studio that nobody uses and slipped the knot.

We are therefore expecting, between 7pm this evening and 1pm tomorrow, 4-6 inches of snow. Note to self, turn the car around in the garage so it’s facing out. I was lazy yesterday and pulled straight in.

So! We here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory have already experienced alarums and excursions, and that’s before we view the result of Shan’s first bout of letter-writing.

Alarum the First: Walked into the living room to find that the front door was not only unlocked, but ajar. It is of course entirely possible, not to say likely, that what happened is that I failed to lock the door last night and either air pressure or Midnight Cat Wrasslin popped it. This is also, of course, not the first thing one thinks when they find the front door open upon waking in the morning, and knowing oneself alone in the house.

So, a walk-around, heart in mouth, accompanied by cats who wished to inform me that their bowls! were! empty! They weren’t wrong (this error has since been amended), but it seemed unlikely that the Theoretical Intruder had been a Giant Polydactyl Cat, who had jimmied the door in order to steal a snack.

We appear to be secure, and yes, I should get a deadbolt, but then someone would have to install it, and, given that Someone is Not Me, the point is moot.

Alarum the Second: I had determined to have cottage cheese with pineapple cut into it for breakfast, with toast. When I opened the carton of cottage cheese that I had purchased yesterday, the carton was half full of — milk. This was distressing. I mean, the reason I eat cottage cheese is so I won’t have to drink milk, vile stuff that it is (unless, y’know, properly treated with chocolate, or fermented into skyr or yogurt or cheese). Investigation discovered the cheese curds beneath the milk, so I strained the carton. The actual food thus recovered was fine and the toast was excellent.

Given the above, it seems somewhat poor-spirited to note that there were Dusty Cat Prints on the stove top this morning. I appreciate that a girl has to investigate; I only hope she doesn’t lead the others into Error.

At this point, however, I’m a little leery of predicting, or indeed making, lunch. I think there might be some potato and leek soup. It might be a good day for potato and leek soup.

What else? Ah. My new Lunchtime Read is The Sign of the Dragon by Mary Soon Lee, illustrated by Gary McCluskey. It has a Goblin Emperor vibe, and I’m enjoying it, though I’m only about 25 pages in.

Today’s chores include — laundry!  Also, closing down the Guest Parlor, since it seems we’re Past That now, turning the car around (yes, that needs to be on the list, or I’ll forget to do it), eating something for lunch, and recording the results of Shan’s letters the First and Second.

That should, she said hopefully, keep me busy.

I see that the Elm Plaza Verizon store opens at 9am on Monday (it’s also open today and tomorrow, but that’s not pertinent to this discussion). I have a dental appointment at 12:45 on Monday, so I could plan on hitting Verizon at the stroke of 9, making sure I have a book or six with me, and if they’re not able to deal with me before noon, go to the dentist. This is the Current Plan.

What’s your Current Plan?

Tali continues to Settle In.

Foraging Run

Friday. Cold and … dull, really. It looks like a Very Grumpy day out there, despite the new snow. ‘beans are calling for another snow event overnight Saturday into early Sunday.

Breakfast was salad with a side of bread, so I could do honor to the tomato, finish up the lettuce, and also the cottage cheese. It may be a fact that this house runs on cottage cheese. Currently thinking about going to the store for milk (hot chocolate!), and cottage cheese. Will defer action, if any, until I’ve finished my second cup of tea.

Lunch may be a yam. I think I have a yam. If I go to the grocery, I can be sure I have a yam.

pause for supply check — I have TWO yams. Riches unsung.

I finished reading Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, which was interesting not only for forcing me think about Shakespeare, which I haven’t done in decades, but for insight into how actors do their particular art. Over on the Other Side, I’m reading Market Forces, Midlife Recorder 7.

Regarding the Important Things In Life, Cats: I saw Rook and Tali touch noses this morning, and neither one hissed. It looked to me as though Rook had initiated the greeting. Later, of course, he ambushed and tried to murder her. Right now, after having disputed her right to the comfy chair in my office, I note that Tali is in the comfy chair, napping, and Rook is on the floor directly before the chair, showing his belly.

A little while ago, Firefly wandered by, looked into the chair, saw Tali, sort of nodded to herself and moved off to get a mouthful of crunchies. No hissing.

I believe we’re making progress.

I do want to devote most of this day to writing, which means if I’m going to the grocery, I’d better go soon. I’m really missing Steve on this getting up to speed part. I had a Realization last evening that Changes Everything (yes, yes, I’ve only written one letter; it’s a Writer Thing). I went back to Steve’s office to run it past him, and — sat in his chair at the desk for awhile.

Sun’s out now. Guess I’ll finish my tea and go out to the store. Then that will be Done, and the weekend before me.

What’s the weather where you are?

Cat census.  Rook has since shifted his position to achieve MSE (Maximum Sun Exposure)

The Writer at Work

What went before:  Finished reading “Shout of Honor,” and put it to marinate.

A Question Asked; A Question Answered: The “boys in the basement” (sometimes known as “the back room”) are the committee of rowdies that passes for my muse.  They drink a lot of beer, eat a lot of pretzels, watch re-runs of Time Tunnel and I Dream of Jeannie on Youtube, and occasionally kick an idea upstairs where I can find it.  Astonishingly often, they’re good ideas.  I do occasionally have to cut off their beer to get them to focus, but compared to what some of my colleagues have to do to get their muses to focus, that’s minor.

Another Question Asked, and Answered:  Phil Jurus was a silversmith down in Maryland.  Steve and I bought our wedding rings from Phil, and probably more silver than we could afford at the time.  He created the Runes of Roke Knoll.  Our wedding rings are engraved with Mette, the Rune for Courage (Sharon) and Illum, the Rune for Wisdom (Steve).

 

 

 

 

Onward!

Wednesday. Snowing and cold.

Breakfast was blueberry muffin and cottage cheese. Still drinking my first mug of tea. Lunch will be, um. Oh! Potstickers and fried rice. Sounds good, and I can do that out of stores.

Well, I miscalculated. I thought there’d be a dusting of snow on the overnight and I’d just hang in ’til 10 or so and then go to the grocery store. I am not going to the grocery store today. Looking at the list, there’s nothing I can’t get by without for another day, so tomorrow’s adventures will include the grocery store.

I’m still monkeying around with the Pair accounts Steve left. Having finally gotten inside Pair — there’s not even a directory for stevemillerwrites, so that makes that decision easy. However! There are two other domains that I do need to keep: liadenuniverseCOM/NET, even though they’re not manifesting on the internet. So, some of today will be once again making the part of my brain that used to know this stuff, err, work. Ow.

I also need to do some laundry, mostly because I ran through all of my Extra Special Warm Socks, and man, I’m gonna be wanting those.

(I made the mistake of reading a News Summary. Oh. My. Ghod.)

Back to focusing on the stuff I can do something about. I believe I have a starting point and a conceit for the next book. It is not at all what I thought I’d be doing, but ain’t that always the way.

I may take a little chunk of time to go through my jewelry box and look for pieces that may go into a memory necklace, as a reward for bending my brain into pretzels.

In reading matters, I last night finished Seeing Red in Gretna Green and have moved on to Code Yellow in Gretna Green. I’ve been reading Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent over lunch, and it’s been an agreeable companion. Also, yesterday, I got sidetracked into re-reading “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones,” by Samuel R. Delaney. It’s been a decade or so.

So, it’s still snowing. And I need another mug of tea.

What are you focusing on, today?

How it started, and how it’s going. Two pictures of Rook, aka Rookie, Lord High Rookifur, Fool of a Rook, Bananabread…  The one on the left is from July 2024; the one on the right was taken this morning.